Forces Kill, Capture Senior Taliban Fighters

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 4, 2011 – Afghan and coalition forces killed a Taliban leader in a firefight yesterday and captured another in a separate operation, military officials reported.

A combined force of Afghan and International Security Assistance Force members killed the man, later identified as Saifullah Rashid, during a security operation in Wardak province’s Maidan Shahr district. Rashid led numerous attacks against Afghan forces in the district, and fired on forces operating in the area. The security force returned fire, killing Rashid, officials said.

The force also detained multiple suspected insurgents during the operation.

In other operations yesterday in Afghanistan:

— A coalition force in the Qalat district of Zabul province yesterday seized two assault rifles, seven rocket-propelled grenade rounds and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition.

— In Zabul’s Tarnek wa Jaldak district, a combined force captured a Taliban operative who reported to senior Taliban leaders on the movements of Afghan forces and provided reports on attacks against forces in the region.

— A combined force detained multiple suspected insurgents during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in the Mehtar Lam district of Laghman province. The leader is involved in executions and ambushes, as well as the intimidation of local people.

— In the Sabari district of Khost province, a combined force detained two suspected insurgents during an operation in search of a Haqqani network leader who orders remote-controlled bomb and assassination attacks against Afghan forces.

In other news, ISAF officials today corrected information about the capture of Haji Mali Khan yesterday. He was captured in Khost’s Musa Khel district, not Paktia province’s Jani Khel district, as was first reported.